Penstemon plant named ‘Novapenbel’

ABSTRACT

The new  Penstemon  plant was created by a controlled plant breeding program followed by selection, open pollination, and further selection. The growth habit is compact and upright with strong basal branching and excellent vigor. Attractive purple flowers with a lighter purple throat on sturdy stems are formed. There is no vernalization requirement for flowering. Dark green ornamental foliage is displayed. The plant readily roots from stem cuttings and is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

Botanical/commercial classification: Penstemon hybida/Penstemon Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Novapenbel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Penstemon plants, sometimes known as Beard Tongue, are herbaceousperennials which provide colorful flowers during the summer.

The new Penstemon plant of the present invention was created anddiscovered at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The female parent (i.e., seedparent) was the Penstemon mexicali ‘Pike's Peak Purple’ cultivar(non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., pollenparent) was an unnamed and non-patented breeder seedling selected fromsecond generation seedlings from the cross of Penstemon smallii ‘VioletDusk’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) and Penstemonhirsutus ‘Pygameus’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States).Seedlings from the cross of ‘Violet Dusk’ and ‘Pygameus’ underwent openpollination and the male parent was selected from the resultingseedlings. This breeder seedling was selected for increased branching,increased number of inflorescences and extended bloom time. A singleplant of the new cultivar was selected from the cross of the female andmale parents. Had this new plant not been selected and preserved itwould have been lost to mankind.

The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows:‘Pike's Peak Purple’×[(‘Violet Dusk’×‘Pygameus’)×Open Pollination].

It was found that the new Penstemon plant displays the followingcombination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) displays a compact and upright growth habit with strong        basal branching and excellent vigor,    -   (b) is lacking a vernalization requirement for flowering,    -   (c) abundantly forms attractive purple flowers with a lighter        purple throat on sturdy stems,    -   (d) forms ornamental dark green foliage, and    -   (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

During observations to date, the plant has been found to be hardy atU.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6. Trimming of the plant promotes furtherflowering. Tolerance to insects is typical of Penstemon duringobservations to date.

The new cultivar well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown to advantage as a perennial garden plant to providecolorful ornamentation. The plant performs well when grown along bordersor sidewalks as well as in containers.

Plants of the new cultivar can be readily distinguished from otherPenstemon cultivars. More specifically, when compared to its ‘Pike'sPeak Purple’ ancestor, the new cultivar displays a more compact growthhabit. The blossoms of the ‘Violet Dusk’ ancestor are of a lighterlavender pink coloration, and the blossoms of the ‘Pygameus’ cultivardisplay substantial white coloration.

The new cultivar readily roots from stem cuttings.

The rooting of vegetative cuttings has been used to asexually propagatethe new cultivar at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. It has been found that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reliablytransmitted from one generation to another. Accordingly, the newcultivar can be asexually reproduced in a true-to-type manner.

The new cultivar of the present invention has been named ‘Novapenbel’,and will be marketed under the LITTLE BELLS Trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrates typical flowering plants of thenew cultivar in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible makethe same in color illustrations of this nature. The plants wereapproximately two years of age and were being grown outdoors incontainers during July 2014 at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The plants hadbeen asexually reproduced by the rooting of vegetative cuttings.

FIG. 1 illustrates the attractive compact and upright growth habit of aflowering plant of the new cultivar.

FIG. 2 illustrates a closer view of the purple blossoms in variousstages of development as well as the foliage of the new cultivar.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description while observing one-year-oldplants of the new cultivar that were produced by the rooting ofvegetative cuttings. Such plants were being grown in containers on theirown roots at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The chart used in theidentification of color is The R.H.S. Colour Chart (1995 Edition) of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England. Common color terms are tobe accorded their customary dictionary significance.

-   Botanical classification: Penstemon, cv. Novapenbel.    -   -   Parents.—Cross of ‘Pike's Peak’ and the product of the cross            of ‘Violet Dusk’ and ‘Pygameus’, followed by selection, open            pollination, and further selection.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Compact and upright with considerable            branching to form a fountain of branched stems.        -   Height.—Approximately 30 cm on average. This compares to a            height of approximately 45 cm on average for the ‘Pike's            Peak Purple’ cultivar under the same growing conditions.        -   Spread.—Approximately 55 cm on average. This compares to a            spread of approximately 90 cm on average for the ‘Pike's            Peak Purple’ cultivar under the same growing conditions.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple, sessile.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Length.—Commonly approximately 7.5 cm on average.        -   Width.—Commonly approximately 1.2 cm on average.        -   Texture.—Glabrous on the upper and under surfaces.        -   Aspect.—Approximately 80 degrees from the stem.        -   Color.—On the upper surface near Green Group 137A, and on            the lower surface near Green Group 137C.        -   Margins.—Denticulate.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Season.—Commonly May through frost.        -   Type.—Thyrse.        -   Buds.—Shape: closed tubular and bulging. Size: during early            bud stage approximately 1 cm in length and approximately 4            mm in width on average, during the medium bud stage            approximately 1.5 cm in length and approximately 5 mm in            width on average, and during late bud stage approximately 2            cm in length and approximately 7 mm in width on average.            Color: during the early bud stage near Yellow-Green Group            145B, during the medium bud stage near Purple-Violet Group            81A on the upper side and near Purple-Violet Group 82D on            the lower side, and during the late bud stage near            Purple-Violet Group 81A on the upper side and on the lower            side near Purple-Violet Group 81C.        -   Flower.—Type: Zygomirphic, perfect. Shape: Lobe extended            bilabiate. Color: on the outside near Purple Group 77A, and            on the inside near Purple-Violet Group 82C. Quantity: free            flowering, commonly with approximately 125 flowers on the            plant at a given time. Fragrance: none detectable. Length:            approximately 2.5 cm on average. Diameter: approximately 1.5            cm on average. Fragrance: none detectable.        -   Reproductive parts.—Stamen number: commonly four fertile and            one sterile. Stamen shape: commonly curved downwards at the            tip ending in two distinct lobes and attached to upper fused            petals. Anther sacs: opposite and opening across the            connection of each stamen. Anther size: when unopened            approximately 2 mm in length and approximately 1 mm in            width, and when open/dehisced approximately 2 mm in length            and approximately 0.5 mm in width. Style size: commonly            approximately 12 mm in length and less than 0.2 mm in width.            Filaments: commonly approximately 1.5 cm in length. Pollen:            near White Group 155B in coloration. Pistil size: commonly            approximately 1.6 cm on average. Pistil color: near            Yellow-Green Group 145C.        -   Fruit.—Type: capsule. Fertility: good. Size: commonly            approximately 1 cm in length and approximately 4 mm in            width. Color: near Brown Group 200A to 200B.        -   Seeds.—Shape: generally irregular. Size: approximately 1 mm            in length and less than 1 mm in width. Color: near Brown            Group 200A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: commonly approximately 2.5 cm on average.            Diameter: approximately 1 mm on average. Texture: finely            pubescent. Color: near Yellow-Green Group 146A mixed with            Red-Purple Group 60A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: commonly approximately 2 mm on average.            Texture: pubescent. Color: near Yellow-Green Group 146A.-   Insect resistance: The tolerance/susceptibility to insects common to    Penstemon plants appears to be typical during observations to date.    Plants of the ‘Novapenbel’ cultivar have not been observed under all    possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is    possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with    changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and    other environmental conditions.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct Penstemon plant having the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) displays a compact and uprightgrowth habit with strong basal branching and excellent vigor, (b) islacking a vernalization requirement for flowering, (c) abundantly formsattractive purple flowers with a lighter purple throat on sturdy stems,(d) forms ornamental dark green foliage, and (e) is well suited forproviding attractive ornamentation; substantially as illustrated anddescribed.